July 2001
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Life imprisonment and heavy sentences for six Sog residents
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8,500 clergy expelled, Chief Abbot under house arrest
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A man beaten to death
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Nine years' sentence for pro-independence slogans
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China strenghthens anti-Dalai Lama campaign
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3 years sentence for screening Dalai Lama's video
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Ngawang Sangdrol receives Honorary Citizenship
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Railway line project vexes Tibetans
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Darkar Nunnery closed, all nuns expelled
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"Work team" visits Rongpo Monastery
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ARREST REPORTS
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Tax burden adds to rural poverty
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European Parliamentarian Delegation briefed by the Executive Director TCHRD.
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Meeting with 'International Tibet Support Group Network' delegation
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Fulbright Scholars addressed by a TCHRD staff
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TCHRD Members
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[ top ]
Six Tibetans from Sog County were sentenced to varying
prison terms ranging from seven years to life imprisonment
for political activities. The Chinese authorities link
them to the recurrent political and resistant activities
that have been taking place in Sog County, Nagchu Tibet
Autonomous Prefecture ("TAP"), since 1993. Except for two
men, the rest of them are monks of Sog Tsendhen Monastery
in Sog County and they are most likely to be transferred
to Drapchi Prison.
According to information received by Tibetan Centre for
Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the six Tibetans;
Sey Khedup (27), Tenzin Choewang (64), Tsering Lhagon
(41), Yeshi Tenzin (33), Trakru Yeshi (45) and Gyurmey
(29) were arrested in March 2000 on different dates
and from different places. Nearly nine months later in
mid-December, the detainees were brought for a public trial
at Nagchu Intermediate People's Court. They were accused
of supporting activities of the "Dalai splittist clique
and carrying out activities endangering state security".
The court produced independence posters, wooden block
prints and cassettes containing speeches of the Dalai Lama
as evidences of the charges levied on them.
Sey Khedup received the harshest sentence of them all. It
is probable that his attempt to claim sole responsibility
of the entire charges brought against them, at the time
of trial, may have earned him life imprisonment. Another
likely reason could be his background of rendering
carpentry work at the monastery and carvings on wooden
block prints.
Yeshi Tenzin and Gyurmey were reportedly the first ones
to be apprehended by policemen from Lhasa and Nagchu
respectively during a holiday at the monastery and taken
to Nagchu Detention Centre. The duo underwent intensive
beatings and torture and were compelled to reveal the names
of their "accomplices". Subsequently, Yeshi was sentenced
to 15 years and Gyurmey to 10 years' imprisonment.
One day in March 2000, approximately seven men in masks
arrived at Sog Tsendhen Monastery and arrested Tenzin
Choewang from the main prayer hall and was taken to Nagchu
Detention Centre. Choewang, who was the caretaker of the
monastery, slept in the hall. The next day when people
visited the hall for prayers, his clothes and belongings
were found in complete disarray.
The officers ransacked his room and discovered cassettes
containing speeches of the Dalai Lama. There is fear
surrounding Choewang's current health condition, as at
the time of trial, he could not stand straight on his
own. He had to be supported by two men from both sides.
Choewang was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.
When Nagchu policemen came to Tsering Lhagon's place,
they discovered wooden block prints with carvings such
as Free Tibet, "Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama",
"Tibet belongs to Tibetans and Chinese quit Tibet". He
was later sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment.
Trakru Yeshi, a staff at the Nagchu Hydro Power Station,
was apparently taken during the day by policemen. His
colleagues at work were strictly instructed against
telling anyone about his arrest. Yeshi received seven
years' imprisonment.
The systematic fashion in which the detainees were arrested
is a clear indication that authorities have kept close
vigil on their movements and activities with the tacit
co-operation of one of the insiders from Sog Tsendhen
Monastery. The monastery is notable for being the "breeding
ground" for political activities and has thus been under
strict surveillance where the monks are closely monitored
and their freedom of movement restricted.
Reports indicate that other Sog residents were also
detained and suffered severe interrogation around the time
the six men were arrested. Thupten Tsering, the blacksmith
of the monastery, was brought to Nagchu Detention Centre on
the pretext that he was being taken to attend a meeting
at the county. Tsering had earlier built a gate for the
monastery, which the authorities believe was to impede the
officials from entering unannounced. He reasoned that it
was meant to keep stray dogs from entering in the night
and littering the place. While he was detained in Nagchu
Detention Centre for four months, he was so brutally
beaten that by the time he was released, his right arm
became disabled.
Serpa Sichoe was in Lhasa at his niece's house undergoing
medical treatment when he was arrested. He was released
after few months of detention. In 2000, Sichoe travelled
to Dram (Nepal-Tibet border) in order to meet his son in Nepal.
Namgyal Soepa was detained for approximately three months
and was later prohibited from rejoining the monastery. He
is not physically fit as he underwent harsh ill-treatment
at the time of his detention.
Serpa Sichoe, earlier suspected of involvement in a bomb
explosion incident of 1995 in Sog County was arrested in
August 1997 along with Tenzin Choewang, Ngawang Geysar
and Namgyal Soepa. Sichoe and Choewang were released
after seven months while Namgyal Soepa was released
after two months.Geysar was released after five weeks'
detention but hardly spoke anything about his experiences
thereafter. Geysar's current status is unknown. Since
his release, no one, not even his family members has any
knowledge about his whereabouts.
[ top ]
In yet another assault on the religious sentiments of the
Tibetan people, Chinese authorities expelled over 8,500
monks, nuns and lay people studying at Serthar Buddhist
Institute in Karze "TAP". The Chief Abbot (Khenpo) of
the Institute, Jigme Phuntsok, is held under house arrest
and the Institutes' residential quarters were demolished.
Six nuns have reportedly died following the repression.
On 18 April 2001, Chinese authorities issued a stern
notice, ordering students at the Institute to return to
their respective counties on the ground that the existing
student population has exceeded the previously enforced
ceiling of 1400.
"Chinese authorities' serious concern over the burgeoning
religious population in Tibet is manifested in their
campaigns to enforce limits in all large or small religious
institutions throughout Tibet either by curbing new
recruits or by mass expulsion", commented Mr. Lobsang
Nyandak Zayul, the Executive Director of Tibetan Centre
for Human Rights and Democracy.
No one is allowed to meet Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok. People
were told that he is not keeping well. It is reported
that Khenpo will soon be taken away to China when his
health improves.
Several sources report that within 20 days i.e. from 20 May
to 10 June 2001, six nuns have died following the expulsion
order. Four of the nuns died due to extreme shock and two
committed suicide by hanging themselves from a ceiling.
A force of 3,800 armies and policemen were deployed in
and around the Institute to crush any possible protest.
A reliable source reported that 100 People's Armed Police
each from 18 counties under Karze "TAP" and 2,000 People's
Liberation Army, were called in to control the situation.
Eyewitnesses confirmed demolition of the vacated quarters
to prevent the expelled monks and nuns from returning to
the Institute. One source reported that the demolition
work began on 26 June and over 2,900 residential quarters,
large and small, have been completely destroyed.
The officials from Beijing, who were summoned for the
demolition and expulsions, have enforced a ceiling of
1,400 monks and nuns. Only those belonging to Serthar
County were allowed to remain in the Institute provided
they oppose the Dalai Lama. Others were forcibly returned
to their respective counties.
Serthar Buddhist Institute, also known as Larung Gar, has
the largest conglomeration of monks and nuns in Tibet. The
Institute houses around 10,000 monks, nuns and lay people,
including some 1,000 Chinese who came from across China,
Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok established Serthar Buddhist
Institute in 1980. The Institute was certified as an
"academy" by the late Panchen Lama after securing official
approval in 1987. This was the reason why the first
wave of "Patriotic Education" did not really affect the
religious life at the Institute. Moreover, there has
been no report onpolitical or "splittist" activity at
the Institute.
[ top ]
Tseta Marong
was beaten to death, and three others critically injured,
after a myriad arrests of arbitrary
nature took place in Thandong Township, Tengchen County,
Chamdo Prefecture. The arrests came in the wake of a search
operation following a bomb explosion incident in miners'
residential area at Thandong Gold Mine on 11 July this
year. Four Chinese gold miners were reportedly injured.
The mining operation in the area started in the 1990s after
a team of Research Scientists on mineral excavation
visited Thandong Township where a mountain housed the
gold ore. Since then, the local communities have shown
concern towards the possible ecological disruption but
were unable to voice their resentment over the project
because of looming fear of harsh punishment.
The authorities suspected the bomb explosion to be
an outcome of the public's opposition to the mining
project. The investigation is being carried out vigorously
to find the "culprits".
The PSB officers subject the local inhabitants and
people from the nearby areas to frequent harassment
and beatings. In the process, Tseta Marong died
and three others (names unknown) were reportedly
in a critical condition after having endured severe
beatings. Furthermore, 16 Tibetans including ten monks of
Tsamphung Monastery were kept in detention on suspicion,
out of which 12 have reportedly been released. The
monastery remains temporarily closed in the aftermath of
the arrest.
[ top ]
Lobsang Gelek
is originally from Dhamshung County in Lhasa.
He is around 25 years of age. While he was young,
he studied in a local primary school for few years and
later became a monk of Khangmar Monastery.
On 10 April 1995, Gelek along with Lobsang Choephel,
Sonam Choephel, Tenzin Choedak and Sangye Tenphel,
all monks of Khangmar Monastery, initiated independence
demonstration in Barkhor, the central street in Lhasa.
Pro-independence and anti-China slogans such as "Tibet is
independent, Chinese Quit Tibet" were raised.
The Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials gradually
overpowered the demonstrators and took them to Lhasa
PSB Detention Centre, located in the south of Lhasa
City. During their detention, the monks underwent intensive
interrogation regarding motives behind their demonstration.
Around October of the same year, the Lhasa Intermediate
People's Court sentenced the monks to varying prison terms
on charges of "counter-revolutionary activities". During
that time, Gelek was sentenced to five years's imprisonment
with two years' deprivation of political rights. After
the sentence was passed, Gelek and his companions were
transferred to Drapchi Prison.
With increased restrictions from the prison authorities,
the prisoners were subjected to inhuman and degrading
treatment and forced to undergo daily "exercise" sessions.
One of Gelek's friend, Sangye Tenphel, died from excessive
torture which caused chronic depression in the last days
of his life.
On 1 May 1998, approximately 120 political prisoners and
600 criminal prisoners were gathered for flag-hoisting
ceremony in the prison courtyard. All of a sudden,
Kardar, a criminal prisoner and his friend, shouted
"Tibet is independent" which led others present to join
the protest. The prison guards and People's Armed Police
(PAP) immediately rushed to control the situation. Many
were beaten, solitarily confined and received sentence
extensions.
Three days later on 4 May, approximately 36 male political
prisoners, 30 female political prisoners and 300 criminal
prisoners were taken to celebrate the occasion of Chinese
Youth Day. The prisoners were lined up and surrounded
on all sides by PAP and prison guards carrying electric
batons, iron rods, ropes and rifles.
As soon as the flag was hoisted, Lobsang Gelek with his
fist raised in the air shouted "Tibet is independent". The
other prisoners followed suit and the situation became
uncontrollable for sometime. The officials present
fired gunshots indiscriminately and severely beat the
prisoners. Many prisoners were kept in solitary confinement
cells that time.
Gelek was beaten with sticks and labeled as the
"instigator" of the protest. Later, along with few other
prisoners, Gelek was transferred to "TAR" PSB Detention
Centre where they were interrogated about the protest. In
August of the same year, they were returned to Drapchi
Prison.
In December 1998, as many as 27 prisoners received
varying degrees of sentence extension depending on their
particpation in the protest. Gelek's previous sentence
of five years was prolonged by further four years, making
his current sentence a total of nine years.
[ top ]
Lhasa, the capital city of Chinese-occupied Tibet,
witnessed renewed restrictions on the age-old traditional
celebration of Trunglha Yarsol (the Dalai Lama's birthday)
this year. The Chinese authorities, as a part of various
checkrein measures, distributed official circulars
"illegalising" Trunglha Yarsol, issued threats and
arbitrarily arrested and detained Tibetans just two days
prior to the actual celebration.
A circular titled "Strengthening Abolition of the Illegal
Activities of Trunglha Yarsol Celebration and Protection of
Social Stability" issued by the Chinese Government on 24
June 2001, applauds their success in curbing the earlier
birthday celebrations and re-affirms their stand against
such "illegal activities" in the future.
Hundreds of Tibetans from Lhasa Region alone were
reportedly arrested on 4 July 2001, under the guise
of "Strike Hard" campaign which was re-launched in
April this year, and subsequently detained for a short
duration. Majority of these Tibetans has had alleged
political proclivity as opposed to "criminal offence"
against which the campaign was targeted. "The arbitrary
nature of their arrest clearly demonstrates not only the
authorities' obsession to control any political activities
that might arise during the birthday but also reveals how
the Chinese Government tramples upon religious freedom
of the Tibetans by smothering their faith and belief in
their ancient religion", stated Mr. Lobsang Nyandak Zayul,
the Executive Director of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights
and Democracy.
The circular that makes high claim about guaranteeing
normal religious activities and protecting religious
freedom, also has a contradictory provision that
categorically prohibits any individual or organisation
from celebrating Trunglha Yarsol. Activities such as
prayers, incense-burning ceremony, and throwing tsampa
(roasted barley) during the birthday are considered as
"illegal". It further stipulated that Department of Justice
and Department of Public Security will impose punishment on
those individuals found guilty of infringement of the said
law according to the rules of People's Republic of China
(PRC) Security Control Measure and Transportation Control
Measure. Moreover, those who commit gross violation of
the order would be severely dealt with according to PRC's
Criminal Procedure Law.
Every year on 6 July, Tibetans in Lhasa congregate at
Trunglha Village, Ngachen Township, Lhasa Metropolitan,
and perform incense-burning ceremony and throw tsampa
(roasted barley) in the air as part of the festivities to
mark the occasion. As per information given by a recent
arrival, Lhasa PSB officials kept close vigil on various
picnic spots in the region this year. Approximately 16
Tibetan youth were fined with 500 yuan each, when they
were found picnicking at Karma Kunsang Park, located in the
south of Lhasa. The youth, who were on a five-day picnic,
had no prior intention to celebrate Trunglha Yarsol. Their
revelry was stopped mid-way nonetheless and no receipt
was issued for the imposed fine.
The ban against the celebration became effective from 26
June 2000 when Lhasa Municipality Industrial and Commercial
Bureau issued a circular titled "Concise Information About
Lhasa City People's Government Abolition of the Illegal
Celebration of Trunglha Yarsol".
The circular censured Trunglha Yarsol as against
the law and henceforth banned the observance of
the occasion. It also accused the "Dalai clique" of
"instigating disturbances in various parts of Tibet,
relying on pretexts like the celebration of Trunglha
Yarsol to split the motherland". The government offices
and bodies circulated copies to all monasteries including
the three major seats of Sera, Drepung and Gaden, various
departments and schools, and regional party committees, and
specifically prohibited Tibetan officials and party members
from participating in the "illegal activities". Should
any untoward incidents happen, heads of the respective
offices were warned to hold responsibility.
The authorities at that time enforced restrictions on
the movement of incoming Tibetans and subjected them
to unwanted harassment as preventive measures against
any potential activities deemed as "endangering state
security". In August of the same year, not only did Tibetan
residents of Lhasa give a strong riposte to the circular
but defy the official orders by taking up activities for
birthday celebration for the subsequent years.
China's Tibet policy, more particularly that of the Dalai
Lama factor in the Tibet issue, has taken a hard-line
direction with the Third Work Forum on Tibet held in
the year 1994. The forum identified the Dalai Lama as
"serpent's head" which must be "chopped off" in order to
kill the serpent. Since then, the polemical attack against
the Dalai Lama has gained monstrous proportion. The monks
and nuns, after being subjected to frequent political
indoctrination, are forced to parrot Chinese version
of history and oppose the Dalai Lama. Tibetans, both
laity and monastic community, continue to face arrest and
other related punishments for non-conformity to official
anti-Dalai Lama campaign such as ban against display of
the Dalai Lama's photograph.
[ top ]
Ngawang Tsultrim,
a 24-year-old exile returnee, was given
three years' prison term in Drapchi Prison for screening a
video of the Dalai Lama. He returned to Tibet in May 1999.
Tsultrim came to India in late 1998 and joined Drepung
Loseling Monastery, Mundgod, South India. Due to his
inability to adapt to the hot tropical Indian climate,
Tsultrim fell ill constantly during his stay in India.
He, therefore, decided to return to Tibet.
While in Lhasa, he played the video cassettes that he
had brought from India to some of his fellow friends
from Chamdo region. It ws after the very first screening
of the cassette in July 1999 that the PSB officials
arrested Trusltrim and subjected him to severe beatings
and torture. In early 2000, he was sentenced to three
years' imprisonment in Drapchi Prison.
Ngawang Tsultrim is originally from Sagang Township,
Dzokhang County, Chamdo Prefecture.
[ top ]
In recognition of the courageous will of Tibetan political
prisoners in the face of Chinese repressive regime,
the Town Council of Florence, Italy, has unanimously
conferred upon
Ngawang Sangdrol
the Honorary Citizenship on 16 July 2001.
In a letter addressed to the Tibetan Government-in-exile,
Paolo Pobbiat, says that Sangdrol, who is presently serving
21 years' imprisonment, rightly highlights the tragedy
of Tibet. He further said it is extremely important that
Florence, a city rich in its culture and history, has shown
its solidarity to someone who best represents the peaceful
struggle against the brutality of Chinese authorities. The
move gains prominence particularly in light of the events
such as Beijing 2008 Olympics and China's entry into World
Trade Organization (WTO), which could eclipse the real
situation inside Tibet.
Ngawang Sangdrol's felicitation came about last year
when a representative of the Italian Section of Amnesty
International suggested it to the board representative of
the Government Party during a conference on Tibet.
Ngawang Sangdrol (lay name Rigchog), is from Garu Nunnery,
Lhasa. She was first arrested when she was only ten
years old in 1987 for participating in an independence
demonstration and was detained for 15 days. On 28 August
1990, she again joined a demonstration and was detained
for nine months without charge.
Her current sentence began on 17 June 1992 when she
was sentenced to three years for attempting to stage a
demonstration in Lhasa along with other nuns from Garu
Nunnery. Sangdrol's prison sentence was prolonged by
six years in October 1993 for recording freedom song in
the prison. It was in July 1996 that the second sentence
extension of eight years took place for participating in a
protest within her rukhag (unit). Her sentence was extended
by four years for participation in the May 1998 protests
inside Drapchi Prison. She is currently the longest serving
female political prisoner in Tibet with the total sentence
of 21 years.
[ top ]
Despite strong media hype of China's ambitious railway
project between Lhasa and Gormo considered as the world's
highest railway line, Tibetans raise concern over the
negative ramification on the inhabitants who live in
close proximity to the site.
The initial site proposed for the construction of Lhasa
Railway station, according to some sources, were in the
areas of Yabda Township and Sangmo Township of Toelung
Dechen County. The residents of these areas strongly
protested when they were ordered to relocate to Phenpo
Lhundrup County. A written appeal was addressed to the
County head expressing their wish to remain in the same
area. However, the matters gradually dissolved with the
authorities promising to consult their superior. Finally,
it was decided to construct a railway station in Dip
village, Tsalgungthang Township, Lhasa Municipality. Dip
village is situated very near Lewu Township on the other
side of Kyichu river. A bridge is also to be built on
Kyichu River.
The railway route passes through Nagchu into Dechen
Township, Mar, Ghurum in Toelung Dechen County. The fields
in the area through which the railway line will pass
are being measured and marked. The farmers show strong
resentment against it, moreover, the public in the locality
talk about the possibility of meagre compensation for their
land and short-lived benefit of the compensation. They
say that the benefit will only be for a short while and
that they will face huge loss in their annual production
in the future.
As soon as the announcement came of the implementation
of actual work, Dolkar, the County Head, said that the
railway project would help around 30,000 people of the
county and that the share of beneficiaries would amount
to 75 per cent of the county's population. The district,
for its high role of food grain production is considered
as one of the most well-off districts around Lhasa. If
75% of beneficiaries from the project surrenders their
farmland to welcome the railway project and quit their
farming occupation, it would render them landless and
eventually lead to their impoverishment.
Another unconfirmed information reveals that more than
hundred Tibetans who were imprisoned in Nyari Prison,
Shigatse TAP have been taken as labourers to the project sites.
[ top ]
In the beginning of 2001, the Chinese officials closed
Drakar Nunnery and expelled all the 20 nuns. The officials
accompanied by village heads from Nyelam County, Shigatse
Prefecture, met to discuss and eventually announce the
official ban on local nuns joining the only nunnery in the area.
In the fall of 2000, Nyelam County police warned all the
villagers in the area of legal prosecution for families
who had their daughters in the nunnery. The families
were ordered to withdraw their daughters from the nunnery
failing which they would be considered dissidents and face
dire consequences.
The nunnery, as claimed by the officials, had no permit
from the government. This atrocious claim was widely
believed to be nothing more than an excuse to implement
the harsh policies to extinguish Buddhism from the
Tibetan soil. "The nunnery received no grants from the
government. The permit, as the officials claimed to be
mandatory, was just a permit to thrust their stringent
and repressive crackdown on our religion", said Choekyi.
Choekyi said that Drakar Nunnery was the only place of
worship for the local people in the county. The nunnery
was reconstructed with donations from the nuns and locals
after its demolition.
[ top ]
Owing to precedence of political activism, the "work team"
officials held classes for the monks of Rongpo Monastery,
Rebkong County, Qinghai Province, to "re-educate" them
politically.
As has been the case with other monasteries, monks under
the age of 18 were expelled from the monastery. A school
was set up under the patronage of Lama Tenzin Jigmey
especially for the expelled monks. The school has a total
strength of 60 students and eight teachers, all from Rongpo
Monastery. Subjects such as English, Tibetan and Buddhism
were taught in the school.
The "work team" members insisted that the expelled monks
should instead join a regular school. Lama Tenzin persuaded
the officials to allow him to run the school and assured
them of no political overtones in setting up the school
and that he would take responsibility for any untoward incidents.
Gedun Nyima, 23, originally from Rebkong County, Qinghai
Province, became monk at the age of 13. Rongpo Monastery
with the current total of 500 monks, was listed in the
"Preservation of Ancient Heritages" and 10,0000 yuan was
earmarked for its renovation in March 2001.
Nyima reported that a fellow monk, Jigmey Dawa, was
arrested and eventually imprisoned for three years after
his return to Tibet in 1998. Dawa had studied for a year
in India. He was released in March 2001.
The informant joined Guemar Monastery in the same county
after six years' study at Rongpo Monastery. The "work team"
members frequently warned the monks against display of the
Dalai Lama's photograph but the monks defied by keeping
the pictures. Guemar Monastery has 80 monks.
Nyima acquired a travel document from Lhasa and passed
through Dram to travel from Lhasa and passed through Dram
to reach Tibetan Reception Centre in Nepal on 2nd June
2001. He is now at Ganden Monastery in South India.
[ top ]
According to reliable information from Tibet, PSB officials
from Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Marthang (Ch: Hongyuan) County
and Tsenyi Township arrested four monks from Tsenyi
Monastery, Ngaba County, Sichuan Province.
In August 2000, the four monks covertly pasted independence
leaflets and posters in a city in Ngaba County.
In December of the same year, they repeated the leaflet
pasting activities in Marthang County.
Following the news of these pro-independence activities
in the region, the officials raided Tsenyi Monastery and
discovered some leaflets and wooden block prints.
Subsequently, Jigme (33) from Garsam Township, Jinpa (30)
from Toema Township, Khedrup (45) from Tsaru Township,
and Kelsang (40) from Tsenyi Township were all arrested in
March 2001. The present whereabouts of the four arrested
monks remain still unknown.
Three monks from Bhugon Monastery, Chamdo Prefecture, were
arrested in May 1997 for their involvement in pasting wall
posters of pro-independence slogans.
The PSB officials took into custody Gonpo Gyaltsen (24),
Ngawang Nyima (24) and Tsering Nyima (22) and detained them
at Drayab for about a month. Later, they were transferred
to Chamdo Detention Centre.
By October end, the Chamdo Intermediate Court sentenced
Gyaltsen and Nyima to five years' imprisonment whereas
Tsering Nyima received four years' prison sentences.
The three are currently serving their sentences in Drapchi Prison.
[ top ]
A huge burden of tax is being levied on the residents
of Gangkar Township, Tingri County, Shigatse Prefecture.
The residents are mainly farmers who sustain on the limited
crops they grow in the little fields allocated to them.
The farmers mainly grow wheat and beans and their average
annual production values around 4000 yuan. The government
has lifted the tax on crop in 1997 but started to levy tax
on livestocks as payment for the grazeland; five yuan each
for horse, a yuan each for sheep and two yuan each for
their cattles. During winter every year, the village has
to offer five sheep free of cost to the local government
for the consumption of local officials.
Besides farming, the villagers rely heavily on income
generated from porting luggage of foreign tourists who come
to conquer the heights of mountain near the border between
Nepal and Shakonpo. Porters get a total of 800 yuan, 600
yuan for upward and 200 yuan for downward trek, from which
20 yuan were collected as tax. However, the tax increased
to 450 yuan this year, which was explained to the villagers
as being used for developmental works in the village.
In another village of Guedor Po, most of the villagers live
on loans with more than half of their source of income
being taken away by the Chinese officials as taxes. The
nine villages in the county have at least nine families
each who were so impoverished that they hardly receive a
day's square meal.
Passang reported that there is no school in his village
and the children had never been to school. Actually,
there are about 80 children in his village who are of
school-going age. He has a total of six children but all
had no opportunity for schooling. This is the reason why
Passang brought two of his children to be sent to a school in India.
The Chinese officials too, has left no stone unturned to
find the families who have sent their children to study in
India. In 2000, a campaign was launched in Gemar Township,
Tingri County, to trace down the number of monks, nuns
and children who have escaped to India. The families.
[ top ]
Mr. Lobsang Nyandak Zayul,
the Executive Director of TCHRD,
briefed 28 delegates from European Parliament including 11
parliamentarians on a visit to Dharamsala on 16 July 2001.
Mr. Nyandak presented the delegation with the current human
rights situation in Tibet, more particularly on the EU
policy on human rights in Tibet. He emphasized the fact
that EU policy of bilateral engagement with China has
failed to resolve human rights problem in Tibet.
The human rights abuses in Tibet, unlike in China,
are linked invariably with the Tibetan freedom
movement. Therefore, Mr. Nyandak urged the European
parliamentarians to influence the EU member states to
formulate separate policies for both China and Tibet
to ensure better progress in the worsening human rights
condition in Tibet.
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TCHRD met with 12-member delegation of ITSGN this month.
In a two-hour discussion session with the members, the members
were briefed on the present human rights condition in
Tibet and the Centre's role and activities in the Tibetan
community so far.
ITSGN is a body of Tibet related non-government
organisation with a political mandate. Its core mission
is to accelerate the worldwide Tibet movement on an
international level.
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Ms. Youdon Aukatsang,
the Senior Prgramme Officer of the Centre,
addressed a group of newly-selected Tibetan
Fulbright Scholars on 9 July 2001.
They are leaving for various universities in the United States in August this year.
The group was briefed on how to present the case of human
rights situation in Tibet to other audiences in particular
to members of their respective universities.
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Nine individuals have joined TCHRD as members in July. As
of July 2001, the total membership strength has reached 415.
The new members are Eric Blumenson, Vicki Burnttam, Sonam
Topgyal, Tenzin Jigmey, Jigmey Tenzin, Wangdak Gonpo,
Bhumgyal Dakpa, Allison Willits and Aaron Joseph.
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